Relative selection efficiency in sunflower

Relative selection efficiency (RSE) was studied using 32 half-sib and 96 full-sib progenies produced through N.C.-I design in EC-68414 population of sunflower. Days to 50 per cent flowering exhibited high R.S.E. for all the characters including seed yield except plant height and husk content. Stem diameter had high RSE for head diameter, number of leaves and number of seeds per head but, was not efficient for indirect improvement of remaining characters. None of the remaining characters was found efficient for indirect selection of seed yield. It is suggested that days to 50 per cent flowering should be adopted as an effective indirect selection criterion for the genetic improvement of seed yield in this population of sunflower.